Impact Wrestling
Date: June 13, 2024
Location: MegaCorp Pavilion, Newport, Kentucky
Commentators: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan

It’s the go home show for Against All Odds and that means the show is mostly done. At the same time, it means that we are ready for more of the Matt Hardy situation, which could see the Broken Universe return. That isn’t exactly the most thrilling prospect but Joe Hendry could be on the horizon. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

Zachary Wentz vs. Mike Santana

Trey Miguel is here with Wentz. Santana strikes away in the corner to start and hits a backdrop, meaning it’s time for an early breather on the floor. A Miguel distraction lets Wentz score with a moonsault to take over and it’s a running shooting star press for two back inside. The armbar goes on to keep Santana down and a kick to the back makes it worse.

We hit the chinlock for a bit before Santana fights up and sends him outside. Back in and Santana hits a Death Valley Driver for two but misses Spin The Block. Instead Wentz him down and drops a Swanton Bomb for two of his own. They trade kicks to the head until Wentz hits a headlock DDT. Miguel loads up a shot of his own but cue Steve Maclin to cut him off. Spin The Block finishes for Santana at 7:48.

Rating: C+. As usual, it was a singles match between halves of a tag team, though at least in this case Maclin and Santana aren’t a regular team. Santana is still establishing himself as a singles wrestler and a win like this is a good thing to see. I could go for more from Santana, which is a good sign for his current run.

We get a sitdown interview with Mustafa Ali, who avoids tough questions and cites good things he’s done for the X-Division Title to ignore allegations of cheating. Questions about Mike Bailey have Ali annoyed but Champagne Singh calms him down to end the interview.

The System is going to the Hardy Compound but Alisha and Eddie Edwards aren’t sure about this. Masha Slamovich comes in to talk to Alisha, who doesn’t have time for this. The Hex comes in to mock the champs for not getting along.

Masha Slamovich vs. Marti Belle

Alisha Edwards and Allysin Kay are here too. Feeling out process to start with Belle knocking her down, followed by a hard forearm. Belle takes too long posing though and gets clotheslines, only for Kay to get in a cheap shot from the floor. Belle’s rollup with feet on the ropes gets caught but one with an assist from Kay is enough for the pin at 4:34.

Rating: C-. Not much to see here, with Belle stealing a pin, likely setting up the Knockouts Tag Team Title match either at Against All Odds or later. That isn’t the most thrilling prospect, especially when it is the second match of the night with this setup, but also because the champs are already not on the same match. This wasn’t very good and I’m not exactly interested in what they’re doing.

Steph de Lander is going to tell PCO something tomorrow night but First Class pops in to steal her black rose.

Here is First Class for a chat. They brag about their success with the Digital Media Title but PCO pops in to clean house and take the black rose back.

Tasha Steelz vs. Dani Luna

Jody Threat and Lars Fredericksen are here too. Luna powers her into the corner to start but Steelz gets in a kick to the ribs. A basement clothesline and falcon arrow give Luna two each but Steelz breaks up a superplex attempt. We take a break and come back with an exchange of forearms to the face.

Back up and they trade running boots to leave them both down. Luna hits another running dropkick and a quick powerbomb gets two. Steelz knocks her back down and grabs the Rings of Saturn, with Luna having to make the rope. A quick Blue Thunder Bob gives Luna two but the Luna Landing is blocked. Steelz tries a cutter, which is countered into the Luna Landing to give Luna the pin at 11:56.

Rating: C. I haven’t gotten much out of Spitfire either as a team or on their own and that was pretty much the case again here. Luna continues to get some momentum going and odds are Spitfire gets another Tag Team Title shot down the line. They’re perfectly fine as a team, but the match here was just more run of the mill stuff that didn’t really stand out.

Joe Hendry got beaten down last week but now he has enlisted Ace Steele to help him. Frankie Kazarian comes in to say he put on a clinic last week. Hendry: “If that was a clinic, the patient died.” A match is made between the two of them at Against All Odds.

The System looks for a way into the Hardy Compound. Post break, they find their way to the back, where Matt Hardy meets them from a balcony. His family, including Senior Benjamin, are waiting for him. Moose walks into a trap, which sets off a bunch of fireworks, while Brian Myers is confused by a Curt Hawkins figure. He goes into Matt’s arcade and finds more figures, as planed by one of Matt’s sons. Then Myers is scared by moments from his past, including a pair of Edge tights and discussions of his losing streaks.

We cut over to Eddie Edwards being stalked by another of Matt’s sons and then turning into the American Wolf (as in a werewolf). We cut to Alisha Edwards slowly walking through the house as Reby Hardy plays piano. Then Reby’s daughter uses magic to send things flying at Alisha.

We cut to another of Matt’s kids guiding Moose to Matt. This includes a stop at Senor Benjamin’s house, where he watches previous Broken Matt exploits. Matt pops up and attacks Moose, including putting him in a wheelchair. We cut to Reby seemingly beheading Alisha with a guillotine and then cut back to Matt sending Moose into the Lake Of Reincarnation. Moose comes out in football gear but Vanguard 1 shows up for a distraction, allowing Matt to hit a Twist of Fate. The System bails while still making threats.

This stuff was funny at one point but then it became the same jokes over and over again, as the Hardys are weird and their kids are creepy. It really feels like Matt is the only one who wants to do this and that doesn’t make for a good show over and over. This just kept going and was more about references from other promotions, which don’t make me want to see the matches on Friday, but rather just getting rid of Hardy in general. Not good here, though I’m sure it still has something of an audience.

Ash By Elegance vs. Jada Stone

Rosemary is watching from the rafters as they have a feeling out process to start. Stone dropkicks her to the floor, where Ash gets in a cheap shot and a suplex. Ash hammers away and hits the handspring elbow in the corner. Stone gets in a shot of her own but the moonsault hits raised knees. A clothesline into Rarefied Air finishes for Ash at 3:53.

Rating: C. Not quite a squash here but Ash continues her rise before a likely title win down the line. It’s hard to imagine she isn’t getting the title shot at Slammiversary and the belt at some point. There is nothing wrong with giving her a quick win like this between the important stuff so no complaints here.

Jonathan Gresham, in the mask, says Sami Callihan makes him laugh. So why would Callihan want to fight him again? At Against All Odds, it’s Gresham vs. Callihan’s immune system. Wow that was a terrible line and yet somehow, this story is continuing.

Jordynne Grace is disappointed at losing to Roxanne Perez at Battleground but wants to return the favor. It’s an open challenge for a Knockouts Title shot at Against All Odds for anyone from any promotion.

Against All Odds rundown.

ABC vs. Nic Nemeth/Ryan Nemeth

Ryan and Bey both miss takedown attempts to start before Ryan’s headlock doesn’t get him very far. Nic comes in to roll Bey up for two but Bey takes him down for a change and throws in a hip swivel. It’s off to Austin for two off la majistral but Nic gets in a backdrop. That’s fine with Bey, who is right there with a double stomp to the back to cut him off again.

We take a break and come back with Nic still in trouble, including a double suplex to put him down again. Austin drops him with a belly to back suplex and grabs a headscissors choke to keep things slow. Bey’s crossbody gets two but Nic finally avoids a charge and bring Ryan in to clean house. It’s quickly back to Nic for the Fameasser and a near fall on Bey before Ryan comes back in for the forearm exchange.

A double knockdown allows the tags off to Nic and Austin as the pace picks up. Austin hits a middle rope spinning kick to the face for two as everything breaks down. We hit the parade of secondary finishers and everyone is down again. Bey and Ryan go to the floor so Austin stomps Nic down. The 1-2-Sweet is broken up though and the Danger Zone gives Nic the pin on Bey at 20:49.

Rating: B-. This might as well have been Nic and Nic Jr fighting ABC and again, that doesn’t make me want to see them getting a Tag Team Title shot. The Nemeths are fine in the ring, but Ryan has never been a star and that is the case for a reason. Best match of the night here, though that isn’t saying much.

Overall Rating: C. You really can feel the decline in TNA in recent months and that is hitting hard as we get to Against All Odds. The main event was good and there were a few other ok moments (the opener was completely acceptable) but between the Hardys and the weird obsession with tag wrestlers in singles matches, there is very little I want to see at Against All Odds. I’m holding out hope for Joe Hendry, but I’m not sure if he is going to be able to save enough of this company with the way things are going.

Results
Mike Santana b. Zachary Wentz – Spin The Block
Marti Belle b. Masha Slamovich – Rollup with assist from Allysin Kay
Dani Luna b. Tasha Steelz – Luna Landing
Ash By Elegance b. Jada Stone – Rarefied Air
Ryan Nemeth/Nic Nemeth b. ABC – Danger Zone to Bey

 

 

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And as usual, I’m not sure what to think of it.

There’s no secret to the fact that the Hardys are an interesting team. They’re both completely out there but also some of the most creative people around. They’ve created the Broken Universe and it made perfect sense for them to come back to the thing for a Halloween special, especially since Matt seems to be mostly done in the ring.

So the special was….pretty much exactly what you would expect, though in a good way. There were guest stars (including Los Conquistadors) and the Godfather as House Hardy hosted a Halloween party. An intruder broke in and impersonated Hurricane Helms and it even set up a cliffhanger for a potential future (they have to do a Christmas special at this point). It’s about twenty five minutes long and there’s nothing too bad in it so if you like their stuff, it’s worth checking out.

It’s kind of amazing that the Hardys have turned what should be complete chaos into something that makes some sense. There has been talk of turning this into a series and….yeah I could see that working. It’s not just a bunch of jokes loosely tied together as they’ve actually created characters with some continuity. The series isn’t for everyone but if you want some pure goofy wrestling related fun by people who are putting in a lot of effort, these shows are quite entertaining.